My wife and I chose Sicily for our 25th anniversary . We concluded the trip with three days in Taormina. The stay at the hotel couldn't have been better. An old mansion lovingly restored and embellished, steps from the tourist walking streets and restaurants.

Our hostess (Rosalie Gerber) went over and above to make sure we ate at good spots and saw the sights we wanted to see.

Please go to the villa and tell them Dick and Diane will be back.

If you like small scale, antique, and individual, this is your place. About 12 rooms, all different; beautiful paintings on the wall. Antique vases, paintings and sculptures in the hallway. Right in the middle of Taormina with shops and restaurants around the corner. The back yard has a small whirlpool. The only room that offers a view of mount Etna is actually the breakfast area. Btw, the breakfast is very, very good. Quality products in abundance. This is NOT your typical hotel-breakfast with some cereals and the odd roll with some cheese and ham. Free wifi throughout the hotel. Would stay again!

This is a "nice" hotel/villa but the write-up in travel books is misleading. It does not have what you would call an ocean view from any room. The breakfast room has a view, but mostly of the roofs of other nearby houses and the ocean in the far far distance.

Perhaps the biggest problem is parking. There are very very few spots and if you don't get one of them, you must drive to a parking structure in town to park...which is a dicey proposition. There are several sections of the street coming to the hotel and leaving it that are too narrow for many cars to get through. It is virtually impossible to back up, so many people we saw (ourselves included) damaged their cars. There is no warning either.

Compared to the stunning ocean view we had at the Albergo Domus Mariae in Siracusa for half the price, the Villa Taormina was a big disappointment.

Charming elegant villa well positioned. Lux rooms and outstanding breakfasts. Staff very helpful and gracious. Tres chic.